As we predicted in June, the fibre market has softened further forcing us to decrease the price that we are paying you for possum fur. From Friday 19 September we are paying $100 per kg for all types of fur -H/P, M/P and slyped. This could change if market conditions improve.
We are now buying raw skins for dressing; contact us for more details.
Hope that you saw the positive newspaper article/s... promoting the Woolyarns brand, Perino (merino and possum fur). Read it here:
NZ possum hits
fashion catwalk
By SALLY RAE
WITH apologies to Dame Edna,
it's Goodbye Possums.
New Zealand's possum fur
industry is estimated to be
worth $130 million annually to
the country's economy.
Perino, a blend of possum fur
and cashmere or merino yarn,
recently featured on the catwalk
in garments from the latest collections
from Zambesi and The
Noble Savage.
While possum is popular in
the tourist market, the move into
high fashion is exciting Lower
Hutt manufacturer Woolyarns
NZ, which sees big returns.
"High-end fashion designers
are asking for more from their
suppliers. Products need to
meet high standards in regards
to quality and sustainability.
Perino fits all these criteria,"
Woolyarns marketing manager
Jimad Khan said.
Perino used brushtail possum
fur, cashmere or fine merino
wool, he said. Yarns were lightweight,
low-pilling, breathable,
and anti-odour.
Woolyarns plans to exhibit its
Perino yarn collection at next
year's Pitti Immagine Filati in
Florence, Italy, the main international
event for the knitting
yarn industry.
Presenting Perino to the international
market was an important
next step for Woolyarns as it
expanded into high fashion, Mr
Khan said. Woolyarns' aim was
to increase sales of Perino by
25% through export sales over
the next two years.
The company sources all its
possum fibre from Basically
Bush, which is based in Wairata,
Opotiki. The business, established
by Steve and Sue Boot in
1998, harvests possums and processes
possum skins at the company's
tannery in Woodville,
southern Hawkes Bay.
It sourced about 45 tonnes
nationally and about 1500kg of
that came from Otago and Southland,
Mrs Boot said.
Globally, fur was very fashionable
and possum fur trim added
to garments was also proving "a
huge hit", she said.